Mental, physical, whatever, the Bears can't afford those mistakes from their linebackers, who are as crucial to the success of the defense as Erik Kramer is to their offense.

If they are to become a team strength, middle linebacker Bryan Cox must live up to his reputation as one of the best in the game. On the outside, Barry Minter becomes a starter for the first time and Ron Cox comes back to Chicago after earning a Super Bowl ring last year in Green Bay.

Gone are veterans Vinson Smith and Joe Cain, who anchored the corps the last several years. But defensive coordinator-linebackers coach Bob Slowik, beginning his fifth season with the Bears, says this could be as strong a group as he has had in Chicago.

"Production and games will tell, but we've got the talent to be as good if not better if we can perform," Slowik said. "It's just a matter of being focused, doing your job and doing it every week, which they're capable of. We just have to see if they can do it on a consistent basis."

Bryan Cox, as always, is a key, and he has something to prove after missing the final seven games last year with a broken thumb. But the bigger key could be Minter, who moves back to the outside after filling in for Bryan Cox last season.

Minter, in his fifth season out of Tulsa, had 106 tackles last year, the first time he had reached 100 tackles in his career. In the past, he has been used as both a middle and outside linebacker in nickel coverages, but this season he'll be counted on as an every-down player.

Pass coverage is his strength, but the Bears also like his play against the run.

"It's an opportunity, and I'm going to try to make the most of it," Minter said. "The preseason has been good for me, to get settled in on some of the things we're doing in both the run defense and the pass defense."

"Barry can run like crazy, he has gotten much more physical and he can cover as well as play the run," Slowik said. "He feels like he's back at home (on the outside)."

A key to the season will be the performance of Bryan Cox. His short season last year could be viewed as a disappointment after his Pro Bowl years in Miami, but he still made 99 tackles in nine games. Perhaps most disappointing was the fact he had only three sacks, because the Bears were counting on him to kick-start the pass rush.

Slowik said Bryan Cox is working even harder on the third-down pass rush this season, and he'll be counted on for more production this season.

"Last year he was still trying to learn the system," Slowik said. "We're going to count on him to rush the passer more. He's crucial in our third-down rush scheme."

Rivera believes Bryan Cox's 1996 season "had all the makings of a great football year" despite the low sack numbers, and he expects more this season.

"Between the tackles, he's as good as anybody in the league," Rivera said. "Outside the tackles, he needs to make sure he takes proper angles to get outside and make plays. And I think he's a much better cover guy than he gives himself credit for."

The backups will be Michael Lowrey, Harris and Anthony Peterson, all listed as outside linebackers. Lowrey, Rivera said, reminds him of Minter, and Harris has all the skills to be a starter. Bryan Cox believes this group is deeper than last year's corps.

"We lost some people with experience, but we have some people with experience, and guys got to play in my absence," Cox said. "We have people that can play right away if someone goes down. I feel we can be one of the best in the league."